Fruit sizer



C. H. EVANS FRUIT SIZER Aug. 23, 1932. 1,873,323

l 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed ooit. 2o,` 192s Aug. 23, 1932.

c. H. EVANS FRUIT SIZER Filed OCL. 20, 1928 '2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Aug. 23, 1932 Unirse erstes PATENT OFFICE onnRLEs H. EVANS, or NRwFAN-n, NEW YORK, ssIGNoR To NIAGARA srRAYnRfa enmarcar.v co. rNo.or ivrrnnrnroRT', NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NRW YORK FRUIT srznR l `Application ledrOctob'er 20, 1928. Serial No. 313,783.

This invention relates to improvements in fruit sizers, and moreparticularly to that type in which'one or'more stepped sizing rollersfare employed," and theroller or each '25 of the rollerspasthe case may be, is associated with a traveling element in spaced relation thereto adapted to at least assistthe move'- ment of the fruit through the machine-or along the lengthV of the machine'to points where it is delivered therefrom, according to size. v

The invention has for itsprimary object, the provision of novel means for vregulating the sizing spaces or openings provided in the i machine, and more particularly, novel means for adjusting the sizing roller or rollers to regulate the sizing operation.

Other objects of my .invention are to provide simple, reliable, and effective adjustso lng devices for the sizing rollers, which can be easily operated and which `are disposed at opposite ends ofthe rollers, and so devised that'an even adjustment ofthe sizing rollers maybe effected throughout their lengths. Other objects of my invention are to provide novel bearings for the sizing rollers, which bearings, although oppositely arranged on the machine, are exact'cou'nterfv parts and enable sizing rollers ofuequal lengths to be employed, when more than one is used. j.

With the above and other objects to ap# pear hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, .and in the arrangement and combination of parts toy he hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings: I i Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a sizing machine having my improvements applied thi-meto`A the section being taken on line 1 -1,

2, looking in the direction of the arrowy Fig.5 is an enlarged section taken on `line p-aliig. y

Fig. G is a` detached perspective View of a pair of roller Vbearings and portions of the supporting rods on which they are mounted".

Fig. v is aperspective view of the 'handle for adjusting the rollerbearings. l

` In the drawings I have shown my invention applied to a special type of sizing machine, whichis generally known and referred to as the Burke sizer, but it is quite apparent that the invention can be adapted for useV ingany sizing machine having parts relatively movable to regulate the size of the sizing openings. v j Sizing machines of the kind illustrated in the accompanying drawings 'are manufactured in Various sizes, the smallerztype of machines having two rollers and twosizing spacesor openings, although amachine having a single roller and onesizing space or openings could be built and operate successfully; while larger machines have four,.six,' or even'more rollers, and a corresponding number of sizing spaces or openings. z In the drawings I have shown a four-roll machine, but in each instance asuitable frame 1() is provided which has crossmeinbers 11, 12 at its upper end on which are supported the ends of two fixed guides 14: extending lengthjwise over the top of the frame, each Vguide having its upper edge beveledfrom opposite sides, as at 15, for a purpose to appearhereinafter.'V

Rising from, the frame, at or near` opposite ends thereof,'are suitable brackets or supports 16. These lbrackets or supports are arranged in pairs and alined transverse ly; and mounted forV combined rotatable and slidable movement in each pair of these supports are twotransverselyAdisposed spaced parallel supporting rods 17 vAt one side of the machine, one of each pair Aof* brackets or supportshas a metallic gear housing'18y sev 'v 'cured' thereto` and the supporting rods are provided at the corresponding side of the ma# chine with screw threads 19Uwhich extend from the outer ends of therods inwardly. i

In each of the gear housingsla pairvof iso intermeshing gear wheels 20 is arranged, l.

each gear vwheel being provided with an bolts and have opposite ends in contact with Vthe `plates orwalls 22 and 23.-- A gear heus-- ing is provided at each end of the machine,

Y preferably at the saine side thereof, and the gear wheels within the gear housings have flat inner faces bearing against the outer surfacesl of Vthe inner .plates orwwalls 22, and at their outer sides havev 'hubs 26 which extend through openings formed in the outer plates 'or :walls 23; thus being held againstmovementlengthwise or `inthe direction of theiraxes.

As clearly show-n in Fig.. 5these hubs are cutaway at diametrically opposite points, as :atf 27, to form fiat faces for engagement ,by the forked end 28 of an operating handle29,shown in .-I `ig.` 7. y

Secured to the supporting rods are bearings 3'0forthesizing rollers,.each bearing having a body portion 30? provided with a lug 31 at its upper extremity and an offset boss or hub 32 'at its Alower end-through which a supportingv rod 17 is passed; a set screw 33 being' passed through the boss orhub of each bear- .ingnand tightened against its supporting rod. V'llhesebearings are disposed. in` pairs f at oppositev ends of the machine, the bearings of each pair being lin :a plane at one side of av fixed guide 14. The lbearings may -be i saidto have their upper portions offset with respecttto their'bosses or hubs 32 and the bearings secured to one of each pair of sup-V porting rods are reversed :from `those `secured to the other of the pair of rods ;v thus bring` ing the offset upper-portionsof the bearings in Vtransverse alinement over the space 1be- 4tween said pair of supporting rods; this ar,- rangement being carried'outmat each .end of `the machine sothatthe longitudinalv distance between theV upper portions of all paired bearingsare exactly alike. Y i

In Va fmachine having Mfour sizing rollers, fourpairs vof bearings are used, Aandthe body V.portions 30?-l of the bearings have shaft or spindle openingsq35 formed thereinvto receive theshafts or spindles 36'projecting.fromoppositeendsof sizing rollers 37;y These sizing ,rollers are disposed at opposite sides of the .fixed guides 14 in desired spaced Vrelation therletoll Each sizing roller has regions Aalong its, length of different diameters, caused by stepping down the'rollers at intervals from one 2end tothe other thereof. Y y

While 4the bearings 30serve to secure them to' their respective sup-porting rods 17,1 pre-V toptie each pair of vbearings together,

with a View ofeliminating any tendencythere might be of the bearings moving rotatively on the rods, and for this purpose tie members 38 areutilized; these being of any desired construction and having opposite ends secured to the lugs 31Y of the bearings 30.; In this manner each pair of bearings is thereto. These pulleys are arrange'din pairs longitudinallyy of the machine and-,have ja feeding belt 42 trained over the pulleys of each pair, the upper stretches of which travel invclose `proximity tov or in contact with the sides of the fixed guides 14 inthe plane of meeting of the vertical surfaces thereof with the upwardly beveled surfaces 15, as best shown in Fig. 3.V Between the upper stretches `of the several Vfeedingrbelts and the sizing rollers, sizing spaces or openingsY 43 are provided, which are varied in width along thelength ofthe machine, due to the varying diameters of each sizingroller.

The yaxes of the sizing rollers are parallel with the fixed guides 14 and the upper stretches of the feeding belts `42;` and consoV sequently different sizing regions. are` prop.

vided along the length of the machine;

they shafts 40,r a drive shaft 44 is suitably 'journaled, and this shaft. may bel operated by means of a pulley 45. over which Vadriving belt 46'is passed, said pulley45gbeing lpreferably at one end Vof the shaft.v

The shafts 40 at the'feeding end of the mathe delivery end, andeach has at one end thereof a pulley 47. secured,A thereto, which is vertically alined witha :pulley 48 onY the driveshaft 44. A belt 49 is passed over each of the pulleys 47 and the pulley'48 alinedV hasa pulleys-50 secured to its extended porv tion. Around each pulley 50 andra puliev 51 on the drive shaft 44, a belt 52 is passed, the belt 50 disposed at one side of each fixed At` the feeding end of the machine, Vbeneath chine. are somewhat longer than those/at y guide being crossed sorthatthe sizing roller at one side of each fixed guide is rotated in a direction opposite that'at the'other side thereof. V y f kAt the feeding end ofthe machine iris a platform or hopper 53 onto `which fruit to ybe sizedfis delivered, and from whichthe spaces.

ft'icularly adapted for sizing vapples `other irregularly shaped fruits. l

:fruit rolls, or is otherwise delivered ontothe jfeeding belts and the sizing rollers so as to -be carried forwardly by the belts while retained in Contact with said beltsby the rotatable movement of the sizing rollers. To

"aid in moving the fruit through the machine,

thesizing iollers,the fixed guides and the feeding belts are preferably inclined from the feeding to the-delivery end of the ma- Y-chine, Although fruit is delivered from the machine at regions intermediate its ends, the final delivery' is madeat the end of the machine opposite that at `which the fruit is received and for this reasonl distinguish one'end of the machine from the other by the terms feeding-and delivery.

The sizingl opening or space 48 between each feeding belt and its co-acting sizing rolleris of a given width alonga portion of the length of the roller so as to first `permit the smallest size of fruit to pass therethrough and this region of the sizing opening or space is co-eXtensive with the 'portion "of the sizing rellers of largest. diameter.

The iiist'reduction in thediameter of the roller results in a second or somewhat larger sizing region being provided between vthe roller along its intermediate portion and the feeding `belt so that all fruit ofa somewhat larger size thantliat delivered from the maeliinebut smaller than a given size, may pass between the roller and belt. All fruit too rlarge to pass through said second region is farried along the sizing roller by theffeeding belt and reaches the third sizing fregion, where all remaining fruit of a size smaller 'than the width' of said region will pass be tween the feeding belt and sizing roller; the

remaining fruitbeing delivered over the rear Similar through the different sizing regions or Barrels or other suitable receptacles may be positionedY underneath the 'dis charge ends of these chutes to receive the fruit.

Fruit sizers of the type illustra-ted and described are particularly adapted for sizing peaches and-pears, but Ymay be utilized for lsizing other kinds ofr fruits, although other types of fruit-sizing machines are more parand Then operating the machine, fruit is de- Y llivered onto the platform or hopper 53 and rolls therefrom onto'the sizing ,rollers and the feeding belts, and 'as the feeding belts all travel in the direction of the arrows 58, shown in Fig. 2,`and due to the fact that these feeding belts `and feeding rollers are 'inclined to- Ward the delivery end of the machine, the

their outer or lower ends.

fruit is carriedV at i redeter'inined speed through the machine. ome of the fruit rolling from the platform mayV land upon the xed guides 14, and dueto theopposite bevels 15 provided along their upper edges, will F be directed Veither to one or the `other side thereof and roll uponfthe feeding belt and sizing roller located'at the saine side of the guide. A 1., A in In passing through-the inachine,1the fruit drops through the varying-sized regions of the sizing spaces or` openings and falls onto ther chutes 55, 56 and 157, from which they roll into suitable receptacles placed beneath All fruit of larger size than tlierlar'gest sizing regioniscarried v over the ends of thefdelivery rollsand delivered into the chutesll atthe delivery endof Y the machine, from-.which they roll into'suitablereceptacles placed beneath their outer or lowerendsg thus, allfruitis delivered from the 1v machine according to predetermined sizes, and the sizes are controlled by adjustment of the sizing ,rolls with respect tothe 1feedirigbelts."A` The-feeding belts at all time have a fixed location whileftheysizingrollers at each side of a fixed guide, along. whichthe 'feeding Vbelts travel, are adapted .to'be moved toward or from the fixed guides andthe `feeding belts associated therewitlnor more pan: 1 ticularly. stated, guided thereby.

In the drawings 'it willbenoted `that the bearings at each endxof `the lsizing ,rollers arealternately mounted onwone of each pair -of supporting rods, and` as thethreadedportions ofthe supporting rods/are threaded into the screw-threaded axial openings ofthe gear .wheels 2O and the gear wheels of each pair, when rotated, travell in oppositedirections, the supporting rodsare caused to move y 1 lengthwise inopposite directions, lparticularlyr since each. -pair of supporting rodshave `screw-threaded portions trendingV in the same direction. Therefore, when the operating Vhandle29V `is fitted onto the flattened "or 'cutaway portions ofthe hub' of one of eachpair i of gear wheels and said gear wheel is rotated in one'directiflinfthe` gear wheel meshing therewith rotates in'anopposite direction to exactly the same degree. due to the fact that both gear wheels are ofthe same diameter;

i'thus, one of thev rods` is caused to move toward the rightof the machine'while Ythe other is causedto'move'towai'd the left, and astlie feeding rollers located at corresponding sides of the "fixed guides have their bearings at each end of the machine securedA to theA same supporting rod,t`he sizing yrollers at opposite sides of afiXed guide are movedin unison toward or from said guide.

`The sizing.' rollers'are first adjusted freni onerend of the machine and then from the i other,so that' after the first portion ofthe adjustment is made, the sizing rollers. are'V at a` slight angle to their associated ixedguide's,

Los

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vv'or lmoreparticularly stated, at "aslight angle -totheiriassociatedrfeedingbelts supported by said guildes, and in .exact iproportion to the degree rof Yadj ustment made. VThe rollers areV `wheels. at one end Vof Vthe machine 4(exactly equals that of .the ,gear vWheels lat the other V end-thereof, and dueto-thefact thatthe gear wheels cause opposite lengthwise movement of the rods of eachfpair o'f-supporting Vrods, and allv ofi-the vsizing rollers are 4mounted n `on said supporting rods, all sizingrollers,

-20 `regardless of the number used,-are adj ustedin unison .and to exactlythev samedegree.

As the adjustment of the sizing rollers is j effected at one side of the machine and an opn yerator standingat the center` of the machine V can effect the adjustment at both ends', substantially without changing his position,very

@little timeneed be'lostin adjusting the machine Aaccording to the Agrades vintol which Y 5 fruit isto-be sized. A.Even though the operator finds it desirable, in order .toeffect a very accurate adjustment of the sizing rollers, to

Vmove from one end of the macine to the othl1er, the machineis comparatively short anda few steps will enable himtomovefrom Vthe Y v:i5v-adjustinglinechanismat one'endof the inachine" to the1other with lpractically no loss of time. r I Y .My Vinvention may be'modiiied in various -ways without departingffrom-the spirit of "am `the invention or sacriiicingany ofthe advantages thereof, as will be determined by the scope lof-the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention,.what `I claim is-:-

y i *'15 1..A'sizing machine, comprising'a longitun dinally-disposedV guide, endless feeding belts :disposed at opposite sides of said guide,siz

ing rollers at opposite sides of said guide spaced Vfrom the upper stretches of said feed- "uo 'ii-ng belts; a .pair:of'transverselyfdisposed sup- -Y 1 porting rods: at eachy end ofthemachine, means -for simultaneously'moving'the-rods of each 4.pairl of lengthwisein opposite directions` and Y bearings-secured to said rods/and havingsaid 55 sizing rollers j ournaled therein;

2. A sizing machine, comprising a plural-` ity of longitudinally-disposed guides, a pair of` sizing rollers disposed at opposite sides of -each .guideand spaced :equal distances from "'60 their co-acting guide, a pairofl transverselydisposedfsupporting rods at each endof thel machine, bearings for the sizing rollers at corresponding sides of said guidesV secured to .one yof/each pair `of supporting rods,v and beari-iigs [for the sizing rollers at ,the other tions, bearings for the sizing rollers at corresponding sides of said guides attached to one ,80

of each. pair of supportingrodsy at opposite ends'of the machine, and bearings for the sizing rollers at the opposite sides of said guides secured to the other of said supporting rods at opposite ends of the machine.V

4. A sizing machine, comprising Ia liXed longitudinally-disposed guide, sizing rollers Vat oppositesides of saidguide andl spaced therefrom, Va pair of supporting rods at each end of the machine, each rod having a screw-@20 threaded portion, a pair Yof confined intermeshing gearwheels atl each end of the machine having screw-threaded axial openings receiving the screw-threaded portionsof said supporting rods, means forV rotating said gear i Wheels to cause said supporting rods tomove lengthwise in opposite directions, and bearings for said sizing rollers secured tok said 1 supporting rods, the bearings for one sizing roller being securedto a different supportingxloo rod than the bearings for the other. 5. A sizingmachine,comprising a frame having a'fixed guide longitudinally-disposed Y K thereon, said guide having its upper edge oppositely beveled, any endless feeding belt at $.05

Yeachside of said vguide having A'its upper stretch disposed along the meeting plane lof :one side surface of said yguide withy the beveled vportion at the same side thereof, lmeans for'causing said feeding belt to travel'length- 11,10

wise along said guide, stepped sizing rollers at opposite sides of said guide spaced from said feeding belts to providegrading openings having regions of differentwidth, a pair of transversely-disposed supporting rodsiat 1731.15 each endof the machine, means at each end of the machine for simultaneously moving each pair of supporting rods like distances length- Y wise in opposite directions, and bearings at bosses at'theirlower'ends secured to said supporting rods and offset upper portions dis osed in'a plane between the supporting ro s of each pair, the bearingsof one roller being secured to different supporting rods?"Vv than the bearings of the other roller.

6. A sizing mach-ine, comprisingaframe, a Y fixed 'guide mounted lengthwiseV on said frame, a gear housing mounted on said frame at each end thereof, a pair of intermeshingimo lopposite ends of said sizing rollers havingzfo' gears in each of said gear housings having screw-threaded axial openings, a pair of sup# porting rods supported at each end of the machine and having corresponding ends screw- Y threaded and passed through the screwthreaded axial openings in said intermeshing gears, sizing rollers at opposite sides of said guide and spaced therefrom, a pair of bearings or each sizing roller, the-bearings of each sizing roller being mounted on corresponding rods of the tWo pairs of supporting rods at opposite ends of the machine andthe bearings of mounted on the remaining supporting rods,

and means for rotating one of the gear Wheels of the pair of intermeshing gear Wheels at each end of the machine.

7. In a sizing machine, a pair of supporting rods having screw-threaded portions at corresponding ends, a pair of intermeshing gear Wheels having screvvhreaded axial openings into which the screw-threaded portions of u the other of each of the other sizing roller being the other sizing ele- 

